www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Icons & Iconography Coptic icon of St. Athanasius

Does anyone know where I might get one?

Dan,

Holy Virgin Mary & ST Pishoy Coptic Orthodox Church in LA

http://www.theotokos.org/church-icons/evangelists-pillars.html#athanasius

Many years,

Neil

Sorry; Coptic icons don't do much for me.

Fr. Serge

I like 'em & that's a good source from which to obtain them. I have a nice one of the Wedding at Cana I got from them.

A self-appointed, self-anointed "artiste" I know, however, told me Coptic icons look cartoonish.

Thanks for the source but where is the one that has St. Athanasius standing atop Arius?

Yes, they are cartoonish but I've seen and used to use the icon of St. Athanasius standing atop Arius and loved it. That's the icon I'm after. Sadly, through changes in the computer, I have lost the image.

LOL, Dan, you can't have everything ... however, I'll check my sources and see what I can find.

Many years,

Neil

sielos,

There is some truth to this - at least in the sense that the images in some renditions are of a simpler style than most Byzantine iconography; I'd be rather more inclined to describe them as being painted in what we'd consider a folk art style - which makes them neither less holy nor less worthy of veneration.

That the style doesn't appeal to some is neither a negative reflection on those individuals nor on the style. There are a myriad of diverse iconographic styles and one can hardly expect to be equally spoken to by each. Actually, among the Copts there are, at the very least, two styles - one of which shows considerable Byzantine influence.

The folk art style is also seen in Ethiopian [flickr.com] and Eritrean [pluralism.org] iconography.

It can also be found among some peoples whose ritual heritage is Byzantine. See, for example, this icon of the Circumcision [web.archive.org] or this Theotokos [web.archive.org].

Many years,

Neil

Neil

Thanks for an, as usual, highly educational post. I am sure most of us would never have seen those icons without your links.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the kind words. I realize that I should have given links to the 'Old' and "New' Coptic styles. These are courtesy of the Wayback Machine, as the commercial site which originally hosted them is, regretably, no longer active.

Old Coptic [web.archive.org]

New Coptic [web.archive.org]

This particular 'New' style one shows some, but not a lot of Byzantine influence. Myself, I find the 'Old' style more attractive.

The Byzantine icons that I linked above, btw, since someone PMed to ask, are Slovak in origin.

Many years,

Neil

Here is the site of one of the greatest living Neo-Coptic iconographers. I find nothing "cartoonish" about his work. Of course there are other iconographers with varying degrees of talent, and matters of taste ultimately rest with the individual.

Dr Stephane Rene - Coptic Iconography [copticiconography.org]

Thanks for the link. I love Neo-Coptic Icons.

There is this version [dominicanfriars.org] or this other version. [4.bp.blogspot.com]

Good job, GC!

Dan, I find that I overlooked one at the online store of the Coptic church in LA -

here [theotokos.org]

Many years,

Neil

That's it! Thanks for your determined effort in finding this. Finally, a source for my favorite Athanasian icon. I know it's more primitive but look beneath his feet.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!